Secure telemetric link

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/838,718, filed Aug. 18, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to providing secure communications in a data communications setting, particularly in providing security in telemetry between implantable medical devices and external device administration hardware, security in telemetry between implantable medical devices and other implantable medical devices, and security in telemetry between external medical devices and other external medical devices.

BACKGROUND

Improvements in technology relating to implantable medical devices (“IMDs”), especially in the areas of power storage, conservation, and miniaturization, have made it possible to equip modern implantable medical devices with wireless telecommunications functions. The benefits of such communication include the capability to make requests to the IMD to transmit information, for example, remaining battery life, number of therapeutic events that have occurred, or certain patient health data, as well as transmitting instructions to the device to change treatment modalities, frequency, or the like. All of these communications are motivated by the imperative on the part of all parties to maximize the patient's health and treatment outcome, and as part of this criteria for success, are also driven by the desire to avoid a situation where the IMD must be removed from the patient or any invasive procedure relating to the patient becomes necessary. Attendant to the risk involved in any surgical or invasive procedure is the cost associated with such procedures when carried out according to the applicable standard of care.

In utilizing the benefits of communication with an IMD while leaving the IMD in the patient, wireless communications are ideally suited and to date are the only practical way to regularly exchange information with the IMD while it remains in its implanted state. Accordingly, the use of telecommunications for IMD administration may include communications to or from an IMD, or alternatively among in vitro (i.e., not implanted) IMD-administration devices (collectively referred to alternately herein as “telemetry,” regardless of whether communications are being transmitted to or from the IMD or administration device, and further regardless of whether a measurement is being transmitted (as opposed to, for example, updated instructions to an IMD).

While telemetry, and particularly IMD telemetry, may make the treatment of disease states or other medical conditions more convenient and effective, it is important to ensure that the use of telemetry does not permit a third-party to interfere in the administration of such devices. For example, eavesdropping alone may compromise patient data that may be protected under certain data privacy regimes, e.g. the Health Insurance Privacy and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). Even more critically, if a telemetry communication from an administration device to a medical device is interfered with, an important therapy that was intended may not be administered to a patient hosting the implanted device, presumably resulting in suboptimal treatment outcomes. If a malicious third party intercepted a communication and replaced it with a bogus instruction to a device, or even repeated a legitimate instruction to cause an implant to administer incorrect or excessive therapies, adverse effects on the implant's host may result.

To date, most common wireless communications protocols suitable to IMD telemetry applications are of a “broadcast,” rather than of a directional nature. Accordingly, if an IMD is in range of a telemetry signal (or, when communications originate with the IMD, a receiving device is in range of the IMD), we may generally assume that any receiving device in range of the signal may access the signal, whether or not that access is intended by the caregiver and/or patient.

The low distance range of many telemetry transactions involving IMDs, has to a certain extent effected a kind of physical layer authentication. In other words, most unauthorized access to IMD-related communications is not feasible because an unauthorized party must be so close to the transmitting device that the physical presence of the eavesdropper (or their tools) would be apparent to the parties legitimately sending or receiving such information. However, the range of telemetry applications is constantly expanding, and at some point it may be contemplated, for example, to interrogate an IMD while a patient is seated in a physician waiting room, even though the intended receiving device is in another room altogether. As the distance necessary for communication between the IMD and external hardware becomes longer, so to does the opportunity for interlopers or eavesdroppers to receive, interfere with, or even manipulate the communications signals.

It is also important that messages are “fresh,” i.e., that they have been transmitted recently, and only once. For example, duplicate communications of data from a diagnostic sensor that falsely indicate no change in a patient's physiological condition in spite of therapy being applied may result in excess therapy or other unnecessary medical intervention with its attendant risks. In addition to message privacy (i.e., encryption), true data security requires both message integrity and message freshness. Without all three, gaps will exist that may be exploited by a malicious third party, or indeed may permit errors without malice. Of course, whether or not such exploitation is likely is not particularly relevant from a design standpoint—the security of the telemetry should be ensured to prevent any eavesdropping or interception regardless of the actual potential for problems arising from the interception scenario being considered.

Previous approaches to telemetry security involved, for example, server-based authentication and storage—in this way, no permanent key information would ever be stored on equipment. However, this approach requires a secure communications channel to a server that is available around the clock. It also requires clinicians to be authenticated to the server system prior to their administration of a body area network (BAN) device or node.

Alternatively, biometric tokens (such as key fobs), have been used to authenticate IMD support appliances to IMDs. However, this approach subjected the authentication keys (both the biometric key and the IMD key) to loss, and the token could also be forgotten by patients presenting for IMD administration, which would tend to inconveniently require that care be postponed. Tokens augmented by passwords similarly were subject to loss, noncompliance (failure to bring the token to an appointment, or forgetting the authentication information), and similarly were subject to compromise if lost or stolen.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a secure system of telemetry communication, particularly well suited to IMD and other medical device administration. A system of protecting the communications to and from IMDs, as well as to and from external devices, is provided. This system implements a system of encryption, in conjunction with an authentication method or methods, in order to ensure that communications to and from communication nodes, and particularly to an from an IMD, are legitimate. In certain embodiments, the legitimacy is ensured, for example, by a rigorous approach to data encryption and key management, and preferably, authentication is secured using at least one modality in addition to the holding of an authenticating card or token.

In certain embodiments, the invention provides for a proximity-dependant “backdoor” that may allow access to and administration of any IMD without the authentication information typically required to permit communications among the nodes or modules within a particular patient's network of medical devices, to be called a “body-area network” or “BAN”. The present invention also provides for strong authentication in some embodiments, i.e., zero-knowledge proof of identity, in that authentication is effected without actually transmitting the authentication information (which may of course, subject the authentication information to being compromised).

An unauthorized third party with interests or motives contrary to the patient and authorized caregivers is termed generally herein as an “attacker,” regardless of an eavesdropper's identity, location, or motivation. An attacker may wish to simply eavesdrop without actually disrupting communications, perhaps to obtain protected health information regarding the patient, or to learn aspects of the behavior of the BAN nodes proprietary to the BAN node manufacturer. For these purposes, embodiments of the instant invention provide for message privacy (i.e., encryption) through the use of a cipher.

It may also be contemplated that an attacker having sufficient telecommunications and computing power may be able to intercept and control all communications among nodes of a BAN, either eliminating, modifying, duplicating, or otherwise changing messages between nodes. Embodiments of the instant invention provide for message integrity (i.e., message authentication) through the use of message authentication protocols to ensure that instructions to an IMD, for example, and information provided to diagnostic nodes by an IMD are legitimate. Similarly, message freshness may be ensured through freshly-generated session keys and a token-based system, or in alternate embodiments of the instant invention, through the use of time-stamps. The instant invention, in certain embodiments, provides that messages are kept secure from those who do not have the secret key, based on the subsidiary imperatives of message integrity (transmitted messages are received by their intended recipients in an unaltered state) and message freshness (messages are received in a timely fashion, and are not copies of previously transmitted messages, transmitted by an attacker).

Notwithstanding the protections afforded by embodiments of the present invention, the protection of communications is preferably motivated by, and where necessary is subsidiary to, the overall principle of optimal patient care. Accordingly, certain embodiments of the present invention may, in certain emergency or other compelling situations, permit communication with the device by means of a “backdoor” to the device circumventing certain security features of the implementation, in order to prevent adverse health effects, regardless of whether the emergency caregiver has the time or credentials to authenticate him or herself to the device.

Security mechanisms and protocols according to embodiments of the present invention, require that security services have been set up and enabled (rather than bypassed) with respect to at least one of the communicating devices, and may further require the use of an implementation of a block cipher. In other embodiments, all communicating devices of a BAN implementing the invention share an identical body-area network key, K_BAN, and cooperatively generate a new session key K_ses, at the start of each new telemetry session. Initially, such device identification exchanges take place via an unsecured exchange, required in order to open a communications session. Packet length for both incoming and outgoing packets are preferably fixed for the duration of a session, and packets not meeting the specified length are preferably rejected in the physical layer of the network.

In another embodiment, in a telecommunications network having at least a first and second node, a method of transmitting actionable data in a secured telemetry wake-up packet from the first node to the second node comprises generating a message authentication code using a predefined protocol within the first node. The method also comprises obtaining a current counter value from a memory of the first node indicative of a number of wake-up transmissions authored by the first node. The method further comprises determining an identification of the second node, composing a transmittable wake up message for the second node that includes the message authentication code, the current counter value and a predetermined amount of actionable data, and transmitting the wake-up message.

In another embodiment, a telecommunications network having at least a first and second node including transmitting actionable data in a secured telemetry wake-up packet from the first node the second node comprises means for generating a message authentication code using a predefined protocol within the first node. The telecommunications network also comprises means for obtaining a current counter value from a memory of the first node indicative of a number of wake-up transmissions authored by the first node. The telecommunications network further comprises means for determining an identification of the second node, means for composing a transmittable wake up message for the second node that includes the message authentication code, the current counter value and a predetermined amount of actionable data and means for transmitting the wake-up message.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> depicts the general network topography of a body area network according to embodiments of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> depicts protocols for the secure transmission of a network key between network nodes according to embodiments of the invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> depicts an alternative embodiment of a network key transmission protocol.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> depicts a topography of a body area network having two in-vitro devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> depicts an alternate embodiment of network key propagation protocol according to the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6 through 9</figref> depict data flow diagrams of pseudorandom number generator functions according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> is a data flow diagram of the generation of a session key according to embodiments of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> shows the data flow of the CTR-mode encryption and decryption of a message according to embodiments of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> shows the data structure of a nonce register according to embodiments of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref> shows a data structure for a telemetry packet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref> shows the data flow for encryption/decryption and authentication of messages according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 15</figref> depicts a schematic hardware architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 16</figref> depicts a network topography for an emergency access protocol of an embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 17</figref> depicts a pseudo-protocol and data flow for an emergency access protocol according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 18</figref> depicts a graphical representation of a secured wake-up packet.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 19</figref> is a block diagram depicting the generation of a MAC for a secured wake-up packet.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 20 and 21</figref> are flowcharts of a process to send and receive secured wake-up packets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a security implementation for wireless networks according to the present invention may implement a variety of tiers of security or degrees of multi-factor authentication. The tiers of security contemplated herein may be implemented, for example, by a smartcard i.e. a small plastic card or fob typically having an input/output facility (e.g. a port), one or more central processing units, (such as chips), and a number of memory locations. Smartcard technology may be used to implement security by acting as “something the user has” level of security, either by itself or as a component of multi-factor authentication, e.g., coupled with “something the user knows,” (i.e. a password) or “something the user is,” (i.e. biometric parameters associated with the user). The cards as implemented according to the present invention will preferably have memory, at least one processor, and data processing capabilities, of the type sometimes referred to as “processor cards” or “microprocessor multifunction cards.” The cards may preferably be of the type specified in the International Standards Organization standard ISO 7816 for Integrated Circuit Cards with Electrical Contact, and this assumption is made with respect to the representative embodiments herein. In certain embodiments, certain patient authentication is administered via a smartcard device, however, the IMD's device key is preferably not stored on the smartcard in an unencrypted fashion.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide for the confirmation of what is known herein as the timeliness, or “freshness” of a telemetry communication. For example, a therapeutic modality that may be legitimately directed once, must not be repeatable by a malicious third-party—if a third party can eavesdrop on a communication, based on mere encryption alone, the third party may repeat the instructions repeatedly. Even though the malicious third party doesn't know the content of the message to the IMD, they may reasonably expect the repetition of this message to not do any good for the patient. With enough trial and error, dangerous effects may be implemented by the malicious party even with complete ignorance of the message contents. Embodiments of the present invention therefore also effects a system of ensuring message freshness to prevent such attacks. It will be appreciated that herein, the terms “encrypted” and “secured” are not generally synonymous. Encrypted messages are messages for which only privacy (i.e., secrecy) is assured. Secured messages are messages for which privacy, integrity, freshness, and identity are assured. This latter concept incorporates concepts of authentication, both user authentication (the message actually came from the person (or node) that apparently sent it), and message authentication (the message is in the form sent by the sender, and was sent solely at the time intended by the legitimate sender, and at no other times).

Herein, we may refer to the node (i.e., in a medical device context the implanted or external device, sensor, programmer, monitor, or other appliance within a BAN) transmitting or receiving a communication as “Alice,” or “Bob,” following the convention of cryptography literature. Alice or Bob will refer to devices or nodes, unless a device user or patient is explicitly mentioned, e.g., Alice's patient or “host,” that is, the patient that has the Alice device implanted. Also, we use the term smartcard (including the smartcard when inserted into a smartcard reader/writer) in that in certain embodiments, a smartcard may carry out several functions typically associated with a trusted third-party certificate authority, and upon authentication by the card's holder (e.g. by password and biometric authentication of the holder), the card is regarded as a trusted party within the system, and holds the IMD key corresponding to the IMD in the holder of the card. A third party not intended by the authorized administrators or users of a system to be able to send or receive a message (or a device under the control of such person) will generally be referred to as an “attacker.” Also consistent with cryptography literature, we use the symbol ⊕ or “XOR” for the bitwise-exclusive-or operation (i.e., bitwise modulo-2 addition), and the symbol | or ∥ for concatenation. Frequently herein certain software processes or hardware components are described as “knowing,” “requesting,” “expecting,” or “sending” certain information, or carrying out certain functions or activities (e.g. “calculating”), in a manner that may appear to suggest that the software or hardware is a sentient agent. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such anthropomorphic references are not intended to indicate or imply that the hardware or software in question has consciousness, motivation; or intelligence (artificial or otherwise), and these expressions generally are used to indicate the software or hardware's automatic behavior as programmed or instructed, whether by humans or other hardware or software processes or components. For example, a software process that is said to “expect” a certain value may refer to a software function having an argument specified to be a certain variable type or value, with non-conforming arguments processed by error-handling code.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> depicts the topography of a body area network according to embodiments of the present invention. An exemplary body area network (BAN) <b>100</b> is shown, consisting of programmer “Bob” <b>110</b> and IMD “Alice” <b>115</b>. These two nodes Alice and Bob have already established an insecure telemetry session <b>117</b> over insecure channel <b>120</b>. Programmer <b>110</b> is connected for secure communications (e.g. via a wired connection <b>125</b>) with authentication device <b>130</b>, here, a smart card reader/writer having biometric input window <b>135</b>. According to these embodiments, the following information may be used as authentication data, in increasing order of security, based in each case on a smartcard carried by the patient and used in IMD administration, as described more fully herein.

In a typical embodiment of the present invention, at a minimum, the patient (or other authorized administrator, as applicable) of a device will present a smartcard <b>140</b> (something the patient has), containing information annotated as K_devA(the key for device <b>115</b>), ID_A(the identification number for device <b>115</b>). Further security may be provided by using the patient smartcard <b>140</b>, plus a password K_PW<b>150</b>, also stored on smartcard element <b>145</b> (something the patient has, and something the patient knows), annotated herein as E(K_devA;K_PW), i.e., the device key K_devAencrypted by password K_PW(or “password key”), ID_A, where E(x;y) denotes a function of encryption used to secure “x” using the key “y,” or stated otherwise, a certain ciphertext=E(plaintext; key). In certain embodiments, authentication of a user is effected by a patient smartcard <b>140</b>, or non-electronic information card, plus a password K_PW<b>150</b>, plus a biometric scan K_bioor “biometric key” <b>155</b> (something the patient has, knows and is), annotated herein as E(E(K_devA;K_PW);K_bio), ID_A.

As depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, Alice's patient (not depicted) has been provided with smartcard device <b>140</b>, containing memory, firmware, local storage, and/or combination element <b>145</b>. Alice's patient has initialized smartcard <b>140</b> with a password <b>150</b> and the patient's biometric feature, here, fingerprint <b>155</b>.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, smartcards <b>140</b> or USB/Firewire® key fobs interfacing with an interface replacing smartcard reader <b>130</b> or on-board programmer node <b>110</b>, may be utilized to implement aspects of the security scheme herein. In certain embodiments, such smartcards or key fobs will have certain ciphers and message-authentication codes (MACs) already implemented and on board the smartcard <b>140</b> or key fobs, e.g. implemented in the chip hardware, or alternatively, stored in ROM or flash memory, indicated in the abstract as element <b>145</b> on the smartcard or key fob.

In setting up or initializing a BAN which includes an IMD and propagating the BAN key according to the protocols described above, initially the patient will provide their IMD's authentication material (e.g., a smartcard <b>140</b>) to the bridge device <b>110</b>. This smartcard <b>140</b>, for example, may be issued together with the IMD <b>115</b> (and given to the patient after surgery), or the necessary information may be entered onto the patient's preexisting smartcard device <b>140</b>. After inserting their smartcard <b>140</b> into the bridge device <b>110</b> (here via interface device <b>130</b>), in certain embodiments, the patient will be prompted to enter their personal password K_pw<b>150</b> into the bridge device <b>110</b> (via a GUI residing on-board programmer <b>110</b> or via a suitable separate interface, ideally entered from the patient's own personal memory) and further present a biometric key K_bio, a value derived from the patient's unique biometric identifier, such as a fingerprint <b>155</b> or retinal scan. The bridge device <b>110</b> passes the personal password K_pw<b>150</b> and biometric key K_bio<b>155</b> onto the smartcard <b>140</b> via the smartcard reader <b>130</b>, preferably without storing K_pw<b>150</b> and/or K_bio<b>155</b> in the interim. Using K_pw<b>150</b> and K_bio<b>155</b>, the smartcard <b>140</b> is able to decrypt K_devA<b>170</b> (i.e., the smartcard may determine K_devA<b>170</b> using K_pw<b>150</b> and K_bio<b>155</b>). In certain embodiments, the unencrypted K_devA<b>170</b> may reside initially in the smartcard's <b>140</b> RAM or other memory or storage element <b>145</b> until authentication is complete, whereupon preferably it is then deleted and replaced with an encrypted form of K_devA<b>170</b>. Alternatively, non-electronic authentication material in the place of smartcard <b>140</b> could be provided to a bridge device <b>110</b> in the form of a non-electronic card with the IMD's K_devAprinted in text or in barcode form, with the BAN propagated according to the protocol of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>.

The key-delivery protocol of this embodiment of the instant invention provides secure wireless delivery of the current BAN key from IMDs to bridge devices and from bridge devices to IMDs, all within a patient's BAN. The protocol further effects authentication and verification of the sender and receiver, as well as the BAN key itself. Moreover, the invention prevents an attacker from co-opting a device into the attacker's BAN, impersonating a device during delivery of the BAN key, eavesdropping on the delivery process itself, or staging a replay attack based on duplicating earlier communications, because of the requirement that smartcard <b>140</b> be available for the communications. Preferably, the K_devAkey remains securely on the smartcard <b>140</b>, not on the bridge device <b>110</b>. Accordingly, even if the bridge device <b>110</b> were stolen by an attacker, the attacker would never learn the device key K_devA. Device keys, generally denoted as K_devXherein (such as K_devA<b>170</b>) will preferably be factory programmed with respect to implant devices such as Alice <b>115</b>, and may be factory-programmed with respect to bridge <b>110</b>, smart-local, and dumb-local devices as well. These latter devices may also have an externally-labeled K_dev, or have a random-number K_devthat is generated and assigned as needed. Because of the limitations of dumb local devices (particularly in that they have no human interface), such devices will preferably have a factory assigned and externally labeled K_devX. Alternatively, any of the factory assigned or factory programmed implementations described herein may instead have a K_devXor similar information supplied attendant to an updating of flash memory via typical “firmware upgrade” procedures. Herein, the following abbreviations are used to designate different key values and other variables. K_devXis the secret device-key for the designated node named X. K_BANis the current BAN session key. ID_Xis a device ID, where X is the designated node name.

A suitable security scheme for implementing various privacy and message integrity functions in a representative embodiment of the present invention is the Advanced Encryption Standard (“AES”), similar to Rinjdael, but having a fixed block and key size, and being a standard in common use by the U.S. federal government and communications industry. AES may be suitably used in the configuration CTR+CBC−MAC, as described further herein.

The BAN key will in certain key embodiments be communicated securely from in-vivo devices, particularly, implants such as IMD <b>115</b> to other in-vitro “bridge” devices <b>110</b> in a BAN <b>100</b>. The BAN key should also be communicated securely from bridge devices <b>110</b> in a BAN <b>100</b> to implants <b>115</b>. According to embodiments of the present invention, there is an underlying communications session <b>120</b>, which may be unsecured, providing communication between two in-vitro devices <b>110</b>, or between in-vivo device <b>115</b> and in-vitro device <b>110</b>. Secure communications, such security including encryption as well as integrity and freshness confirmation, is provided by means of authentication material held by the implanted device <b>115</b>. Implant devices <b>115</b> deliver the BAN key to bridge devices <b>110</b> who possess the appropriate authentication material <b>160</b> and processes such as random number generating facility <b>165</b>. Implanted devices <b>115</b> can also receive the BAN key from bridge devices <b>110</b> who possess the appropriate authentication material <b>160</b> and processes. According to embodiments of the present invention, the following protocols permit secure and wireless delivery of the BAN key to bridge devices capable of using the security protocol of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> depicts a protocols for the secure transmission of a network key between network nodes according to certain embodiments of the invention. As shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, implant Alice <b>115</b>, receives a “deliver BAN-key” session request <b>210</b> from bridge device Bob <b>110</b>, indicating to Alice <b>115</b> that Bob <b>110</b> wishes to establish or obtain a BAN key. Alice <b>115</b> and Bob <b>110</b> must initially initiate a telemetric communication session <b>215</b> where Alice <b>115</b> provides Bob <b>110</b> with a freshly-generated random number, Q_A. The human administrator of Alice <b>115</b> (e.g. the patient having the Alice device <b>115</b> implanted) must then present electronic authentication-material (EAM) to Bob <b>110</b>, e.g. a smartcard <b>140</b> through a smartcard reader. This authentication material, typically taking the form of a smartcard <b>140</b> or USB/IEEE1394 (“Firewire®”) fob, is to contain Alice's device key <b>170</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, (optionally encrypted), K_devA<b>175</b>, Alice's ID number, ID_A, and an onboard microprocessor capable of implementing the block cipher in use (e.g., 128-bit AES). In the event that the copy of K_devA<b>170</b> residing on the EAM <b>140</b> is also encrypted, Alice's human operator should also manually give Bob <b>110</b> the secret information needed to decrypt the device key <b>170</b>, for example, via keypad input (not depicted) such as a PIN or password input, and optional biometric data <b>155</b>. Once these steps have been completed, Bob <b>110</b> prepares and delivers a message <b>220</b> to the EAM <b>140</b> containing the following: Q_A, ID_A, ID_B, and (as necessary) the secret information <b>225</b> (PW <b>150</b> and biometric data <b>155</b>) needed to decrypt the copy of K_devA<b>170</b> residing on the electronic authentication-material <b>140</b>. Following the immediate transaction, Bob <b>110</b> preferably removes any local record of PW <b>150</b> and any biometric information <b>155</b>. Using its embedded microprocessor <b>180</b>, the EAM <b>140</b> generates two 128-bit random numbers, Q₁and Q₂, as described in detail below. The EAM <b>140</b> then prepares a block-cipher secured message <b>230</b> to Alice <b>115</b>, using K_devA<b>170</b> as the key input and Q_Aas the nonce, the secured message <b>230</b> containing ID_A, ID_B, Q₁, and Q₂, as the encrypted payload. The EAM <b>140</b> then passes this secured message <b>230</b> to Bob <b>110</b>, along with “unsecured” (i.e., plaintext) copies of Q₁and Q₂. Acting as a courier from the EAM <b>140</b> to Alice <b>115</b>, Bob <b>110</b> then transmits the EAM's <b>140</b> secured message <b>230</b> on to Alice as message <b>235</b>, and temporarily stores the unsecured copies of Q₁and Q₂. When Alice <b>115</b> receives the EAM's message <b>230</b>, by way of Bob's telemetry transmission <b>235</b>, she immediately decrypts the message <b>235</b>, verifies the accuracy of her ID <b>175</b>, and then verifies Bob's ID (<b>182</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>). If Alice's received message <b>235</b> passes its integrity check, Alice <b>115</b> is assured that the message <b>235</b> is both genuine (from her patient's EAM <b>140</b> via Bob <b>110</b>) and fresh, on account of the fact that the message was secured using K_devA<b>170</b> and Q_A.

If Alice <b>115</b> is to deliver the BAN key to Bob <b>110</b>, then Alice <b>115</b> may prepare and transmit an unsecured message <b>240</b> to Bob <b>110</b> consisting of Q₁and Q₂⊕K_BAN, where K_BANis the current BAN <b>100</b> key. On receiving Alice's message <b>240</b>, Bob <b>110</b> verifies that his local Q₁matches Alice's transmitted Q₁(thereby assuring Bob <b>110</b> that Alice <b>115</b> is the “owner” of the EAM <b>140</b>, i.e., that the EAM <b>140</b> corresponds to Alice's secret device key K_devA<b>170</b>), and XORs his local Q₂with the received Q₂⊕K_BANresulting in K_BAN.

If, on the other hand, Alice <b>115</b> is to receive the BAN key from Bob <b>110</b>, then Alice <b>115</b> may prepare and transmit an unsecured message <b>245</b> to Bob <b>110</b> consisting of Q₁. On receiving Alice's message <b>245</b>, Bob <b>110</b> verifies that his local Q₁matches Alice's transmitted Q₁(thereby assuring Bob <b>110</b> that Alice <b>115</b> is the “owner” of the EAM <b>140</b>, i.e., that the EAM <b>140</b> corresponds to Alice's secret device key K_devA<b>170</b>). Bob <b>110</b> may then prepare and transmit an unsecured message <b>250</b> to Alice <b>115</b> containing Q₂⊕K_BAN. On receiving Bob's message <b>250</b>, Alice <b>115</b> XORs her local Q₂with the received message <b>250</b> Q₂⊕K_BANresulting in K_BAN.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> depicts an alternative embodiment of a body area network key transmission protocol, using authentication items other than the EAM <b>140</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>. According to this embodiment, a less secure protocol using less sophisticated non-electronic authentication materials may proceed as follows: According to this embodiment of the protocol <b>300</b>, Bob <b>110</b> may initiate a “deliver BAN key” session request <b>210</b> as before Alice, an implant <b>115</b>, receives a “deliver BAN-key” session request <b>210</b> from a bridge device, Bob <b>110</b>. Alice <b>115</b> and Bob <b>110</b> must initially initiate a telemetric communication session <b>215</b> where Alice <b>115</b> provides Bob <b>110</b> with a freshly generated random number, Q_A. The human administrator of Alice <b>115</b> (e.g. the patient having the Alice device implanted) may then present at <b>310</b> the non-electronic authentication-material, consisting of K_devA<b>170</b> and ID_A<b>175</b>, to Bob <b>110</b>. This authentication material may, for example, be printed on a identification card in alphanumeric characters or as a barcode, and be read with an optical scanner reader device that may, for example, be internal or integral to Bob, or may alternatively be a separate device in signal communication (e.g. networked) with Bob. Alternatively, the authentication material may be manually inputted by a human administrator directly into bridge device Bob <b>110</b> via a GUI or by typing it into a key pad. Using his block cipher (as described herein, or by other means) Bob <b>110</b> then generates two 128-bit random numbers, Q₁and Q₂, as described above. Bob <b>110</b> then prepares a block-cipher secured message <b>235</b> to Alice <b>115</b>, using K_devA<b>170</b> as the key input and Q_Aand the nonce, which contains ID_A<b>175</b>, ID_B<b>182</b>, Q₁, and Q₂. Bob <b>110</b> then transmits the secured message <b>235</b> on to Alice <b>115</b> and temporarily stores the unsecured copies of Q₁and Q₂. When Alice <b>115</b> receives Bob's message <b>235</b>, she immediately decrypts the message, verifies the accuracy of her ID <b>175</b>, and then verifies Bob's ID <b>182</b>. If Alice's received message <b>235</b> passes its integrity check, Alice <b>115</b> is assured that the message <b>235</b> is both genuine (i.e., is from Bob <b>110</b>) and fresh on account of the fact that the message <b>235</b> was secured using K_devA<b>175</b> and Q_A. Other BAN key generation and transmission occurs as described above.

If Alice <b>115</b> is to deliver the BAN key to Bob <b>110</b>, then Alice <b>115</b> may prepare and transmit an unsecured message <b>240</b> to Bob <b>110</b> consisting of Q₁and Q₂⊕K_BAN, where K_BANis the current BAN <b>100</b> key. On receiving Alice's message <b>240</b>, Bob <b>110</b> verifies that his local Q₁matches Alice's transmitted Q₁(thereby assuring Bob <b>110</b> that Alice <b>115</b> is the “owner” of the EAM <b>140</b>, i.e., that the EAM <b>140</b> corresponds to Alice's secret device key K_devA<b>170</b>), and XORs his local Q₂with the received Q₂⊕K_BANresulting in K_BAN. If, on the other hand, Alice <b>115</b> wishes to receive the BAN key from Bob <b>110</b>, then Alice <b>115</b> may prepare and transmit an unsecured message to Bob <b>110</b> consisting of Q₁. On receiving Alice's message, Bob verifies that his local Q₁matches Alice's transmitted Q₁(thereby assuring Bob <b>110</b> that Alice <b>115</b> is the “owner” of the EAM <b>140</b>, i.e., that the EAM <b>140</b> corresponds to Alice's secret device key K_devA<b>170</b>). Bob <b>110</b> then prepares and transmits an unsecured message to Alice containing Q₂⊕K_BAN. On receiving Bob's message, Alice XORs her local Q₂with the received Q₂⊕K_BANresulting in K_BAN.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for a system by which the manufacturer may place a transceiver module in one of at least four permanent states, depending on the class of device to which the module belongs. These classes may be generally categorized as (1) implant devices (IMDs), (2) bridge devices, (3) smart-local devices, and (4) dumb-local devices. Smart-local devices are those with an extensive graphical user-interface (GUI), including facilities for user input (e.g. external drug pumps, external glucometer controllers, and implant controllers). Bridge devices have extensive GUIs and user inputs, and further are able to authenticate themselves to implant devices (e.g. physician programmers, and the more feature-rich and powerful implant controllers and home monitors). Dumb-local devices are those with no GUI or user input, although there may be some limited user display, and may include key fobs, external glucometers, comlinks, and certain limited capability patient controllers and home monitors.

Regardless of the type of device making up the various nodes of a BAN, in order for these devices to communicate securely with the minimum computing resources necessary, all devices will preferably share the BAN key, K_BAN. For example, according to the present invention, bridge and/or smart-local devices can deliver a legitimate BAN key to other bridge, smart-local device, dumb-local and implanted devices, on a per-session basis, and specifically the implant device securely delivers the current BAN key to authorized bridge devices of the BAN (e.g., a programmer appliance) or receives the current BAN key from authorized bridge devices (e.g., a programmer appliance). In certain embodiments of the invention, a key delivery protocol is used that prevents or hinders device impersonation during delivery of the BAN key, eavesdropping on BAN key delivery, and/or replay attacks (i.e. the mere repetition of a communication that was eavesdropped upon, including with only a partial understanding or speculation, or even no understanding, of the substantive message contents). Because in-vitro (i.e., outside of body) BAN devices never receive an IMD's secret device key, a device in a patient's BAN, such as a programmer, never learns an IMD's unique device key, which remains secret at all times and is not communicated, the IMD is not compromised even if in vitro equipment used in that IMD's BAN is lost or stolen, as the existing session authentication information will become obsolete, and the IMD's secret key was never stored on the in vitro equipment. The BAN key is preferably securely communicated from in-vitro devices in a BAN (e.g. bridge and smart-local devices) to other in-vitro devices in a BAN (e.g. bridge, smart-local, and dumb-local devices). To effect this, in certain embodiments of the invention, an unsecured telemetry session is established according to the standard handshake, session request, or other pre-established protocol of the underlying wireless communications method. Where administered by a human, the device receiving the BAN key must be able to visually provide the human operating the device delivering the BAN key with the receiving device's device key K_dev, as well as the receiving device's ID number, in order to permit the human to verify the authentication of the BAN key recipient. The device key K_devin particular will preferably be unique, at least with respect to other devices to be incorporated into a BAN, if not from all other devices the first device may encounter. Also in certain embodiments, smart-local devices and bridge devices will be used for securely delivering the BAN key they may have been provided to other eligible devices in the BAN (all dumb-local devices and/or other smart-local devices and/or other bridge devices). According to a representative embodiment of the present invention, the BAN key will be provided securely over the BAN's wireless connectivity functionality.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> depicts a body area network <b>400</b> having two in-vitro devices according to an embodiment of the present invention. A BAN key delivery request may be initiated by the in-vitro device delivering the BAN key (Alice) <b>410</b>, in this embodiment not an IMD as in previous examples but rather an in-vitro device such as a smart-local device <b>415</b> or a bridge device <b>420</b>. As in earlier BAN key propagation examples, a telemetric communications session is established over an insecure channel <b>120</b> (e.g., by handshake or other pre-established compatible session protocol) with the device to receive the BAN key (Bob) <b>110</b>, and Bob <b>110</b> is required to transmit a freshly generated random number, Q_B(generated by RNG facility on-board Bob device <b>110</b> memory, storage, or other hardware or software element <b>435</b>) to Alice <b>410</b> via message <b>425</b>. Once Alice <b>410</b> and Bob <b>110</b> have otherwise established a telemetry session over insecure channel <b>120</b> according to the instant invention, Alice <b>410</b> (or the human administering the BAN key exchange session) may visually acquire (and input to Alice <b>410</b> via GUI or other input) Bob's device key, K_devB<b>430</b>, which may, for example, be printed on a label affixed to Bob's exterior packaging, or displayed on Bob's electronic GUI and will also be stored in on-board memory or local storage element <b>435</b>, shown as an abstraction in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>. Alice and Bob will typically exchange IDs (ID_Aand ID_B) at the outset of a telemetry session, providing their respective IDs to the other party via communications <b>445</b> and <b>450</b>. In most instances, Alice <b>410</b> may also poll or interrogate Bob <b>110</b> to obtain Bob's identification number (ID_B) <b>440</b> via message <b>445</b>.

Once Alice acquires ID_B<b>440</b> and K_devB<b>430</b>, she may access ID_A(Alice's ID number) and the BAN key stored in on-board memory or secure storage <b>455</b>, and prepare and transmit a message <b>460</b> to Bob containing ID_A, ID_B, and the current BAN key K_BAN, all secured using Bob's device key K_devB<b>430</b> as the key input to the block cipher (with Q_Bas the nonce input to the block cipher, as detailed below). On receiving Alice's transmission <b>460</b>, Bob <b>110</b> decrypts and verifies Alice's message <b>460</b> using K_devB<b>430</b> and logs the received ID_A, ID_B, and K_BAN. Bob then prepares and transmits a message <b>465</b> to Alice <b>410</b> containing ID_A, ID_B, all secured with K_BANand Q_B+1 (i.e., an incrementation of Q_B). On receiving and decrypting/verifying Bob's message <b>465</b>, Alice <b>410</b> verifies that the IDs she received match the IDs she transmitted.

For dumb-local devices <b>470</b>, the device key K_devXmay preferably be randomly or arbitrarily chosen “in the factory” and permanently programmed into the device <b>470</b> in firmware (or alternatively, flash memory) <b>435</b>. Because dumb-local devices <b>470</b>, as defined herein, don't generally have a significant GUI, the K_dev<b>430</b> will preferably be printed on a label which should be affixed to the external packaging of the device <b>470</b>, its documentation, or on the device itself, to be removed following initiation. In contrast, smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b> as defined herein have a GUI and can thereby make their device keys <b>430</b> available by way of an external label (as with dumb-local devices), or through the devices' GUIs. Because K_devis the only piece of information that an attacker would need to know in order to gain access to a telemetry node device from an unauthorized BAN, it is important to keep K_devas private as possible. For smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b>, it would clearly be more secure if devices keys K_devwere only stored in on-board memory/storage <b>435</b> or <b>455</b>, and available solely by way of the devices' GUIs, requiring interaction with the device's GUI, as opposed to being printed on the outside of the device.

While device keys such as K_devB<b>430</b> are preferably hard-programmed into dumb-local devices <b>470</b> (including in flash memory <b>435</b>), device keys need not be for smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b>. Accordingly, in certain embodiments of the present invention, device-key privacy for smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b> can be maximized if device keys are randomly generated each time that they are needed. Using freshly-generated random numbers for device keys, thereby requiring that the device keys are made viewable by way of a GUI, offers smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b> extra immunity from hijacking (i.e., unauthorized use or access) in that the probability distribution of possible device keys is effectively uniform (up to the uniformity of the pseudorandom-number generator) each time that a new device key is generated. This means that an attacker <b>475</b> trying to guess a device key <b>430</b> would need to start her search over each time that a new device key <b>430</b> is generated. Accordingly, in certain embodiments of the invention, freshly-generated random numbers will be used to generate device keys for smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b>. A block cipher may be used to secure all messages—those messages keyed with the BAN key as well as those keyed with the device key. For example, a block cipher affording strong security without undue overhead may be 128-bit AES. If the device key is shorter that the length of the block cipher, then the device key may be repeated and concatenated to itself as many times as needed in order to reach the length of the block cipher argument.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> shows the network key propagation protocol of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> in pseudo-protocol notation. This protocol describes how the BAN key is to be securely communicated from in-vitro devices in a BAN <b>400</b> (bridge devices <b>420</b> and smart-local devices <b>415</b>) to other in-vitro devices in the BAN <b>400</b> (either bridge devices <b>420</b>, smart-local devices <b>415</b>, and dumb-local devices <b>470</b>). The device receiving the BAN key, in this case Bob <b>110</b>, must be able to visually provide the human operating the device delivering the BAN key (in this case Alice <b>410</b>) an in-vitro device such as a bridge, smart-local, or dumb-local device, with the receiving device's <b>110</b> device key K_dev<b>430</b>, as well as the receiving device's ID number <b>440</b>. Initially, Bob <b>110</b> receives a “deliver BAN-key” session request <b>210</b> from Alice <b>410</b>. Alice <b>410</b> and Bob <b>110</b> must initially initiate a telemetric communication session <b>215</b> where Bob <b>110</b> provides Alice <b>410</b> with a freshly-generated random number, Q_B, as with message <b>425</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b> are responsible for securely delivering the BAN key, if they have it, to other eligible devices in the BAN <b>400</b> (all dumb-local devices <b>470</b> and/or other smart-local devices <b>415</b> and/or other bridge devices <b>420</b>). Accordingly, the following protocol is in place to allow for secure and wireless delivery of the BAN key to eligible BAN <b>400</b> devices.

As shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, a “deliver BAN-key” session request <b>210</b>, which is initiated by the device delivering the BAN key (Alice <b>410</b>), first consists of establishing an unsecured communications session <b>215</b> with the device receiving the BAN key (Bob <b>110</b>). Once Alice <b>410</b> and Bob <b>110</b> have established a telemetry session, Bob <b>110</b> also needs to send Alice <b>410</b> a freshly generated 64-bit pseudo-random number, Q_Bvia message <b>215</b>.

An additional and extremely powerful method of preventing device hijacking can be realized if the firmware in smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b> refuses incoming “BAN-key delivery” commands <b>210</b> unless the human user places the smart-local device <b>415</b> or bridge device <b>420</b> into an “accept a new BAN-key” mode. The requirement of human intervention in the acceptance of a new BAN-key could be implemented in dumb-local devices <b>470</b> with the addition of a dedicated physical button or switch on the dumb-local device <b>470</b>.

An additional and extremely powerful method of preventing device hijacking can be realized if the firmware <b>435</b>, <b>455</b> in smart-local devices <b>415</b> and bridge devices <b>420</b> refuses incoming “BAN-key delivery” commands unless a human user in proximity to the device places the smart-local or bridge device into an “accept a new BAN-key” mode. This idea of requiring human intervention in the acceptance of a new BAN-key could also be realized in dumb-local devices <b>470</b> with the addition of a physical button or switch (such as a recessed “reset” button) on the dumb-local device <b>470</b>. While requiring human interaction to accept a new BAN-key practically eliminates any possible device hijacking (provided that that the attacker does not achieve physical contact with the device), other attacks on the BAN-key delivery protocol are possible, as described herein, and are addressed by other embodiments of the invention.

In the last step of the BAN key delivery protocol of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 4 and 5</figref>, Bob <b>110</b> may transmit a message <b>465</b> to Alice <b>410</b>, secured with K_BAN, thus confirming that the key-delivery protocol succeeded. This confirmation signal could be passed up to the application layer and then communicated to the human user as a “delivery successful” notification in the form of a visual and/or acoustic signal.

Bridge devices <b>420</b> and smart-local devices <b>415</b> of the present invention can in certain embodiments reset BAN keys, thereby also resetting session keys, as described below. For example, at the instruction of a patient or physician, bridge devices <b>420</b> and smart-local devices <b>415</b> can deliver BAN keys to local devices <b>415</b>, <b>470</b>, and/or to other bridge devices <b>420</b> by using the receiver's device ID and device key. In certain embodiments of the instant invention, smart local devices <b>415</b> can generate BAN keys regardless of whether there are implanted or bridge devices <b>420</b> in the BAN. In general, the only time that a BAN key needs to be updated is when a device that has the BAN key is lost or stolen. In certain embodiments according to the present invention, BAN keys would only need to be updated with a frequency on the order of hundreds of years to avoid being compromised, based on current attacker processing power.

Because of networking resource constraints, in certain embodiments of the present invention, a common secret key will be shared by all devices in a particular body-area network (BAN). The BAN key, K_BAN, will be used to secure all communications within the BAN. Within a BAN, a telemetry session may be established as follows: On the command of any device initiating a telemetry session, the shared BAN key, along with freshly generated and shared random numbers contributed by all BAN members wishing to communicate in the current telemetry session, are distilled into a session key, K_ses, which is used to secure all messages communicated in the BAN for the duration of the telemetry session. Once the telemetry session is closed, the current session key is discarded.

In order to open a communications session between nodes, initially an unsecured exchange takes place between the communicating devices, e.g., by means of a handshake, session request/accept, or other session initiation protocol. Preferably incoming and outgoing packet lengths are fixed, and moreover, in certain embodiments according to the present invention, the physical-layer hardware is set up to expect these packet lengths—shorter or longer packets may accordingly be flagged and rejected as “bad.” An instance of the relevant cipher to be used must be available. One of various suitable encryption standards for use with the present invention is the FIPS-approved 128-bit AES block cipher (FIPS PUB 197). Encryption may be suitably performed in the “counter mode” (CTR mode) of AES. Message freshness may be checked through use of token-like nonces (i.e., single-use pseudorandom numbers). Also in certain embodiments, message integrity will be maintained, for instance by use of the “cipher-block-chaining message-authentication-code mode” (CBC-MAC mode) of AES. In the telemetry security system of the present invention, pseudorandom numbers must be generated from time to time, as discussed herein. We may refer to so-called pseudorandom numbers (as opposed to truly random numbers) to be technically precise when referring to computer-generated numbers, in that the computer-generated numbers are in fact deterministic. However, the pseudorandom numbers are preferably derived from sufficiently complex or varied states or subsidiary functions that the overall function behaves for observable purposes as a stochastic process overall. It will be appreciated that the actual value of the number is immaterial, the number may be used, in certain embodiments, as a seed for a cipher, message authentication function, or even the generation of another pseudorandom number. Because the actual value of the number is immaterial as regards the function of the pseudorandom number, the value of the number may be said to be arbitrary, which herein is intended to be generally synonymous with “aleatory.” In general, wherever the present invention calls for the use of pseudorandom number, the functionality may be replaced by, e.g., an alternate pseudorandom number generator, or a hardware-generated random number according to alternate embodiments of the present invention. In certain embodiments, the FIPS-approved AES block cipher specification described above provides for the implementation of a NIST-recommended pseudorandom-number generator (PRNG) based on the ANSI X9.31 specification (appendix A.2.4), which is suitable for typical embodiments of the present invention. This specific embodiment of the ANSI X.9.31 PRNG specification uses the AES block-cipher (FIPS PUB 197). Embodiments of this type generate PRNG pseudorandom numbers 128 bits at a time.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6 through 9</figref> depict data flow diagrams of pseudorandom number generator functions according to certain embodiments of the present invention. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> depicts a data flow diagram of the first step of the random number generator of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>, according to embodiments of the present invention. In certain embodiments, generation of a 128-bit pseudo-random number (PRN) is implemented using the AES block-cipher, as specified in ANSI X9.31, providing adequate security and privacy in light of anticipated attacker processing power, without undue overhead. As an initial matter, 128-bit random numbers K_R<b>610</b> and R₀are available to the PRNG. K_R<b>610</b>, the PRNG key, does not change and is always loaded into the key_i input <b>615</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of a 128-bit register. R₀is the PRNG's secret and random initialization-vector which is updated with the new and current PRN (R₁, R₂, . . . ) every time the PRNG generates a 128-bit random number. Both K_R<b>610</b> and the current R may be stored in memory or secure local storage as they are required for the generation of any new pseudorandom numbers.

In this embodiment, generation of every (i+1)^thPRN proceeds as follows: The block cipher <b>620</b> (in this example, 128-bit AES) is used to encrypt a nonce <b>625</b> using K_R<b>610</b> as the key input <b>615</b>, as depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>. The nonce <b>625</b>, which could, for example, consist of the node's current real-time clock value, may be loaded into the 128-bit data_i input <b>630</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of a 128-bit register. (If the real-time clock is longer than 128 bits, then the least-significant 128 bits of the real-time clock may be used.) If the real-time clock is shorter than 128 bits, the most-significant bits of the nonce <b>625</b> may be padded with zeros such that the number of zeros plus the number of real-time clock bits equals 128. Whether or not the real-time clock is used to generate the nonce <b>625</b> the intermediate value data_o <b>635</b> outputted from the block cipher <b>620</b> may be called V₁<b>640</b> herein.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> depicts a step subsequent to that of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> in an embodiment of a pseudorandom number generator according to the instant invention. As depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref>, intermediate value V₁<b>640</b> is XORed with the current R <b>710</b> (R₀for the first random number, or R_ifor the (i+1)^thrandom number). This 128-bit value, V₁⊕R_i, <b>625</b> may then be encrypted with the block cipher <b>620</b>. Specifically, K_R<b>610</b> may be loaded into the key_i input <b>615</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>, for example from a 128-bit register. Following that, V₁⊕R_i<b>625</b> may be loaded into the data_i input <b>630</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of another 128-bit register. Intermediate value V₂<b>720</b> is the data_o output <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 8</figref> depicts a step subsequent to that of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 7</figref> in an embodiment of a pseudorandom number generator according to the instant invention. In this embodiment, the 128-bit intermediate values V₁<b>640</b> and V₂<b>720</b> are XORed together and encrypted with the block cipher <b>620</b>. Specifically K_R<b>610</b> is loaded into the key_i input <b>615</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of a 128-bit register. The V₁⊕V₂<b>625</b> result is loaded into the data_i <b>630</b> input of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of another 128-bit register. The output data_o <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> contains the new PRN, R_i+1<b>810</b>. In the event that further 128-bit PRNs are needed, the RNG process may be repeated using a new nonce <b>625</b> (the current real-time clock data, for example) and using the newly updated PRN R_i+1<b>810</b>. If no additional random numbers are required, then R_i+1is to be stored in memory for the generation of future PRNs in future sessions. The PRNG key, K_R<b>610</b>, may be stored in memory or secure local storage.

To summarize, the generation of the PRNG key preferably proceeds as follows, as depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 9</figref>. If the block cipher is represented by the function E(data_i; key_i)=data_o, where E represents the AES function <b>620</b>, with the relevant arguments to the function and data_i <b>630</b> and key_i <b>615</b> (with i≧0), then the algorithm can be summarized according to 3 steps of nested or iterative processing through the block cipher:

Step 1. V₁<b>640</b>=E(nonce <b>625</b>; K_R<b>610</b>)

Step 2. V₂<b>720</b>=E(V₁<b>640</b>⊕R_i<b>710</b>; K_R<b>610</b>)

Step 3. R_i+1<b>810</b>=E(V₁<b>640</b>⊕V₂<b>720</b>; K_R<b>610</b>). Combining all three of the above steps gives R_i+1=E(E(nonce; K_R)⊕E(R_i⊕E(nonce; K_R); K_R); K_R),

In certain embodiments of the instant invention, the PRN generation is allocated use of a 128-bit AES block-cipher <b>620</b> and modulo-2 addition functionality, three 128-bit registers to buffer the block-cipher, access to the real-time clock or another nonce <b>625</b> source, and storage space for two 128-bit numbers, R_i<b>710</b> and K_R<b>610</b>. Of these, the storage space for R_iand K_R, may be unavailable to other aspects and functions of the invention. Preferably, two 128-bit random numbers may be “installed” into a module implementation of the present invention, e.g., in production. One of these random numbers (K_R<b>610</b>) may be permanent and the other, R₀<b>710</b>, may preferably be updated every time a new pseudorandom number is generated.

A secure telemetry session according to the present invention is preferably to be initiated whenever one or more communicating devices request a secure session. Setting up a secure communications session is a two-step process, by which all communicating devices are provided the same session key, Kses. In step one, all communicating devices take turns announcing a previously generated pseudo-random number, e.g., a 64-bit random number, called Rx, where “x” indexes the different devices. As described above and depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 6 through 9</figref>, in certain embodiments pseudo-random numbers are generated at the end of the previous secure communications session so that they are immediately available for the next secure session. The generation of these pseudo-random may preferably take place according to the disclosure herein, but other methods of generating pseudo-random numbers or hardware-generated random numbers may be substituted in accordance with the present invention.

Following the announcement of the previously generated random number, the next step provides for the establishment of a secure session, and requires that all communicating devices calculate a common session key (Kses) which will subsequently be used to secure data traffic for the duration of the secure session. Kses is calculated independently but identically by each device using a cipher, such as a block cipher. The 128-bit AES block cipher is suitable for typical embodiments of the present invention.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref> is a data flow diagram of the generation of a session key according to embodiments of the present invention. The common session key may be derived from the previously-established BAN key, K_BAN, and all of the communicating nodes random numbers {R₁, R₂, R₃. . . }. In certain embodiments, Kses may be calculated by loading K_BANinto the “key input” <b>615</b> to the block cipher <b>620</b> and loading the devices' random numbers <b>1010</b> into the “data in” <b>630</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>. This may be accomplished by firmware control in certain embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, the first two devices' 64-bit random numbers are to be concatenated to a 128-bit number which is then loaded into the “data in” <b>630</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>. If there are only two devices wishing to establish a secure session, then the 128-bit output <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> is the session key, Kses. If there are more than two devices wishing to communicate securely within a single session, then the output <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> is then XORed (i.e., modulo-2 added) to the next two devices' 1020 concatenated 128-bit (2×64-bit) random number before again entering the “data in” <b>630</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> and getting processed as above. The application of the cipher (here, 128-bit AES) to the XOR-derived value <b>635</b> is preferably repeated as many times as is needed to get through all of the devices' random numbers, where the final output <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> is Kses <b>1030</b>. In the event that there are an odd number of devices to be included in a secure session, an “empty” slot in the 128-bit concatenation may be filled with 64 zeros. At the conclusion of the secure-communications session, the ephemeral Kses <b>1030</b> may be “deleted” and a new session key <b>1030</b> is calculated at the beginning of each new secure telemetry session, as provided.

As described, the securing of information in certain embodiments may be based on ciphers, including by the use of block ciphers, for example, used in their counter (CTR) mode. In this way, the block cipher may be applied to streams in that the block cipher generates a keyed, pseudo-random keystream which is then XORed against the plaintext in order to generate encrypted text (or, at the recipient node, applied against the ciphertext to generate plaintext to effect decryption). <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref> shows the data flow of the CTR-mode encryption and decryption of a message according to embodiments of the present invention. As depicted, the shared session key <b>1030</b> is loaded into the key_i input <b>615</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of a 128-bit register; the session key <b>1030</b> may be loaded into the register from memory or storage (after being calculated at the initiation of a secure session as discussed above). A 128-bit nonce (i.e., a number used only once) <b>1110</b> is loaded into the data_i input <b>630</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of another 128-bit register.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref> shows the data structure of a nonce register according to embodiments of the present invention. In this embodiment, the most significant eight bytes <b>1210</b> of the 128-bit nonce <b>1110</b>, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref>, are actually an eight-byte up-counter <b>1210</b>, while the lower six bytes of that counter <b>1215</b> are initiated with the least-significant six bytes [i.e., bits <b>47</b> though <b>0</b>] of the instigating device's random number Rx <b>1220</b>. It will be appreciated that the random number Rx <b>1220</b> was contributed to the generation of the session key <b>1030</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 10</figref>. Every time that a telemetry packet according to the present invention is received or transmitted in a secure session, the value of the counter <b>1210</b> is incremented. The next nonce byte <b>1225</b> (just below the eight-byte counter <b>1220</b>) contains the mode bit <b>1230</b>, bit “m” <b>1230</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 12</figref>. This bit may be set to logical zero when the nonce is being used for CTR-mode encryption/decryption; the mode bit is to be set to logical one when the nonce is being used for message integrity, as described herein. The seven-bit field below the mode bit, the block-number field <b>1240</b>, is to be reset to logical 0000000 at the start of every packet and incremented on the generation of each 128-bit block of keystream material to be used for encryption/decryption within that packet. If, for example, each telemetry packet required 300 bits of keystream material for encryption/decryption, then the first 128 bits of keystream would be generated using 0000000, the second 128 bits would be generated using 0000001, and the third 128 bits would be generated using 0000010 (incrementing by 1, noting that in an example where 300 bits of keystream material are required per packet, only 44 of the last 128 bits of keystream material would be needed). The remaining seven bytes of the 128-bit nonce <b>1110</b> (the least-significant seven bytes <b>1240</b>), may preferably be permanently set to logical zero.

Rather than or in addition to synchronized timestamps to help prevent replay attacks, in certain embodiments of the present invention, message freshness and user authentication is provided by calculating a new session key Kses <b>1030</b> at the start of every secure telemetric session, the new session key <b>1030</b> being a function of the contribution of random numbers generated by each of the participants in the secure session. With regard to intra-session replay attacks, however, a further freshness mechanism may be provided—in this case, the devices in a secure session should never allow the counter in their local copy of the session nonce to be reset to a value lower than its current value. In the event that a telemetry communications session is interrupted or for some other reason needs to be “reset” or resynchronized within the underlying communications protocol, it might be necessary for the current session nonce to be announced in order for devices in a secure session to resynchronize. An attacker could conceivably attempt to exploit such a situation by trying to reset other session participants' nonces to a previous value, thereby allowing the attacker to replay old messages that used the previous nonce value. In this way, the session nonce acts as something of a network token. If nonce counters only increase, no old message will ever have a legitimate nonce, as past intra-session messages have an earlier nonce, provided that no more than 2⁶⁴packets are communicated in a single secure session, which is unlikely.

As depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 11</figref>, in embodiments of the present invention, encryption and decryption are preferably performed by executing a bitwise modulo-2 addition (XOR) between the 128-bit output bus, data_o <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>, and 128-bit blocks of data <b>1115</b>, taken from the payload plaintext for encryption, and from the payload ciphertext for decryption. In certain embodiments of the present invention, packet headers are not encrypted.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref> shows a data structure for a telemetry packet <b>1300</b> according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each of the 128-bit message blocks <b>1115</b> may be XORed <b>1120</b> with a different output <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>, e.g., message block m₁<b>1310</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref> is to be XORed with keystream block (i.e., the 128-bit block leaving the data_o bus <b>635</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b>) s₁, message block m₂(the next 128-bits of packet <b>1320</b>) is to be XORed with s₂, etc. As previously stated, a different nonce <b>1110</b> is to be used in the generation of each keystream block <b>635</b>. In certain embodiments, the same nonce <b>1110</b> is never used twice within the same session; accordingly, when the eight-byte nonce counter <b>1210</b> reaches its maximum value (0xhFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF), the secure session may be terminated, with a new session key collectively calculated. In this embodiment, the number of telemetry packets that can be communicated using a single session key is from 2⁶⁴(corresponding to the case where the least-significant six bytes of the instigator's random number is 0xh000000000000) to 2⁶⁴-2⁶⁴(corresponding to the case where the least-significant six bytes of the instigator's random number is 0xhFFFFFFFFFFFF). In base10, these numbers are 1.84467×10¹⁹and 1.84464×10¹⁹, respectively, thus it will be appreciated that these packet numbers are unlikely to ever be reached in practice.

In a secured network, e.g. a TDMA structure, preferably devices will increment their nonce counters regardless of whether or not the devices actually broadcasts during their allocated window, in order to maintain secure communications during a period of non-transmission, during which time the device may power-down its radio in order to conserve energy. On power up, the device has kept track of the session nonce, and will still be able to power-up later and communicate securely. Alternatively, the “master” or “beacon” of a telemetry network session could broadcast, unsecured, the current nonce counter every time it starts a new “round” within the network session.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, MACs will be calculated on and appended to each telemetry packet. Also in certain embodiments of the invention, one packet size and structure is used. One possible embodiment for such packet structure is depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref>. As shown, a packet <b>1300</b> according to the present invention may consist of a 42-bit (5.25 byte) header <b>1310</b>, a 30-byte payload <b>1315</b>, and a 3-byte MAC <b>1320</b>.

In certain embodiments of the invention, a block-cipher (e.g., 128-bit AES) may be used in the CBC-MAC mode to generate a keyed hash-value (the message authentication code, or MAC) of the plaintext of a message, which as depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref>, is to be appended at <b>1320</b> to an encrypted form of that message <b>1315</b> upon transmission. On reception of these packets <b>1300</b> and their appended MACs <b>1320</b>, the receiver may decrypt the packet payloads <b>1315</b>, calculate the MAC on their decrypted packets, and compare the calculated MAC value they derived from the received payload <b>1315</b>, to the MAC value <b>1320</b> received as appended to the instant packet <b>1300</b>. If the MACs match, the packet <b>1300</b> is accepted. Naturally if the MACs conflict, then the packet <b>1300</b> is to be discarded or re-requested. If MACs <b>1320</b> are calculated and appended onto each packet <b>1315</b> according to the present invention, MACs <b>1320</b> may be used in place of the packet-wise CRC in telemetry systems of the prior art. To the extent that certain packets will be sent unsecured, as detailed variously herein, in additional an unkeyed integrity-check mechanism (like a CRC) may be applied. This integrity check could be realized through the use of a hardware CRC or alternatively, by using CBC-MAC with a publicly-known key and nonce (e.g., by using 0x000000000000000000000000000000 for both).

While in this embodiment using a MAC <b>1320</b>, the length of packet payloads <b>1315</b> (i.e. the portion of the packet which is to be encrypted) is 30 bytes, (thus requiring a nonce register block-number field <b>1235</b> of only 1 bit, the nonce register block-number field <b>1235</b> may be fixed at seven bits to provision for future telemetry schemes which might permit the use of longer packet payloads as long as 4096 bytes using the same nonce register structure <b>1110</b>.

In a CBC-MAC generation/verification algorithm according to a representative embodiment of the present invention depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref>, initially, the shared session-key <b>1030</b> (the same one used for CTR-mode encryption/decryption) is loaded into the key_i input <b>615</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> by way of a 128-bit register <b>1430</b>. The data_i input <b>615</b> of the block cipher <b>620</b> may be loaded with a concatenation <b>1435</b> of the 97 most-significant bits of the nonce (truncating the block-number field as necessary) and up to the first 31 bits of the plaintext packet (typically consisting of header information). The mode bit <b>1230</b> of the nonce-register <b>1110</b> may be set to logical one. In a typical embodiment, regardless of whether the CBC-MAC algorithm is being used for MAC generation or MAC verification, CBC-MAC processing is to be done on the decrypted form (i.e., message plaintext) of each packet. In this embodiment, accordingly the received packets must be decrypted before their MAC can be verified.

The output (data_o) <b>635</b> of the first block-cipher <b>620</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref> may be bitwise XORed to the next 128-bits following the plaintext concatenated to the 97 bit nonce at <b>1435</b>. The result of this XOR is then loaded into input <b>630</b> of the second block-cipher <b>1440</b>. The output <b>635</b> of the second block-cipher <b>1440</b> is then XORed with the last 128-bits of packet plaintext from <b>1315</b> of packet <b>1300</b> (zero padded as necessary), and then processed by the third block-cipher <b>1445</b>. In this embodiment, as the bit sum of a packet header and packet payload is ≦287 bits, no further rounds of CBC-MAC are required as the MAC is the 128-bit output (data_o) of the third block. In the event that a MAC were needed on longer packets according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, additional plaintext blocks could be processed by XORing and passing the output through additional block ciphers <b>620</b>. Generally, for m blocks of plaintext, m XOR/block-cipher rounds <b>630</b> would be required, where the data_o output <b>635</b> of the last block cipher would be the MAC <b>1450</b>. Note that while three block-cipher cores <b>620</b>, <b>1440</b>, <b>1445</b> are depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref>, in certain embodiments only one core will actually be implemented in hardware; in practice, the XOR output will be routed to data_i input <b>630</b> of the first block cipher <b>620</b>. The three cores <b>620</b>, <b>1440</b>, <b>1445</b> shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref> are meant only to illustrate the CBC-MAC algorithm.

As depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 14</figref>, in certain embodiments of the present invention, only the least-significant 24 bits (bits <b>23</b> through <b>0</b>) of the CBC-MAC output <b>1450</b> will be appended onto the end of the processed packet <b>1300</b> as MAC <b>1320</b>, which does not compromise the underlying cryptographic strength of the CBC-MAC function (e.g., 128-bits, as in this case).

Each device participating in a secured session will preferably increment its respective session nonce counter <b>1210</b> on the transmission and reception of every packet <b>1300</b>. In this manner, because only one device in a secure-session is transmitting at a time, the nonce increment acts as a proxy token, thus ensuring that multiple devices cannot transmit simultaneously. Because in certain embodiments, telemetry packets are relatively long, nodes could conceivably lose nonce synchronization amongst a BAN group in certain circumstance. Where supported by the underlying communications protocol, in certain embodiments of the instant invention, the devices may periodically include their current plaintext nonces in frame headers to provide a nonce-synchronization check. In typical embodiments, nonce synchronization may generally be recovered by always including the current nonce <b>1110</b> in NACK packets, or through whatever native recovery techniques that exist in the underlying communications protocol. Preferably, all devices adhere to the rules that a) the counter within their copy of the session nonce should be at least as large as any nonce they that receive in a maintenance message and b) a new session key must be calculated when the nonce counter reaches 0xhFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, no nonce will be used twice, thus assuring message freshness, as described further herein.

Preferably, encryption/decryption should be applied to telemetry packet payloads <b>1315</b>, rather than headers <b>1310</b>. This embodiment of the invention tends to minimize both the known-plaintext available to an attacker, as well as the length of the required keystream. Furthermore, this gives the block-cipher time to compute and buffer keystream material while the packet headers <b>1310</b> are propagating through the physical-layer hardware. While in certain embodiments of the present invention, a single block-cipher core <b>620</b> (e.g., AES block cipher) will be used to implement both ciphering and MAC functions, this preferably will be effected by first generating and storing enough keystream material, using CRT mode, for an entire packet's worth of payload data <b>1315</b>, rather than alternating CTR mode with CBC-MAC mode per block at runtime. Once encrypted/decrypted 128-bit blocks are available, the CBC-MAC mode will be used successively to generate/verify the MAC. <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 15</figref> illustrates a proposed hardware layout for the AES-based mixed use of CTR and CBC-MAC modes for packets according to an embodiment of the present invention (≦32-byte payload).

Generally, a hardware implementation of a node according to the current invention requires one instance of the 128-bit AES block cipher (and corresponding dedicated 128-bit registers) and keep-alive or non-volatile storage for the 128-bit BAN key. Because the session nonce consists solely of the instigating device's random-number contribution to the session key (Rx), all devices in a secured network know the session nonce without the need for any additional transmissions. As shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 15</figref>, single block cipher <b>620</b> is used to process either keystream (via input <b>1510</b>) or CBC-MAC input (via input <b>1515</b>) to data_i input <b>630</b>. The output <b>635</b> of block cipher <b>620</b>, register <b>1515</b>, is XORed with plaintext <b>1525</b> to encrypt plaintext data <b>1525</b>.

In certain embodiments of the invention, an unkeyed integrity check will still be used to the extent that packets will need to be communicated unsecured (like the packets which are used to open a session and share random numbers). This integrity check may be implemented through, for example, the use of a hardware CRC or perhaps by using CBC-MAC with a publicly-known secret key and nonce (like 0x00000000000000000000000000000000 for both).

Keystream material is generated and stored in first and second keystream registers, <b>1510</b> and <b>1515</b>, respectively. Once the keystream material in the second keystream <b>1515</b> register is used up, first keystream register <b>1510</b> parallel loads into the keystream register <b>1515</b>. The first plaintext block is stored in the register <b>1520</b>, and the resulting first MAC block following block-cipher processing <b>620</b>, is stored in the first keystream register <b>1510</b> (once its keystream material is emptied into second keystream register <b>1515</b>). The first MAC block is XORed with the second block of plaintext from <b>1525</b> and put through the block cipher <b>620</b>. The least-significant 24 bits of the final MAC <b>1530</b> is then appended to the encrypted data <b>1315</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 13</figref>.

In a wireless telemetry system according to the present invention, typically communications sessions between in-vivo and in-vitro devices can be initiated, executed, and closed entirely wirelessly, as disclosed herein. Therefore, it is important to prevent unauthorized and/or malicious parties to communicate with implanted devices or other nodes of the BAN, as discussed. However, it will be appreciated that there may arise situations in practice where unauthorized in-vitro devices (such as physician programmer appliances, emergency-response equipment) and their users (unauthorized in the sense that they do not have access to an implant's secret key, but having a patient's express or implied consent or direction to access the patient's BAN) still need to communicate with an implanted device. Such situations may arise, for example, in emergency situations where a patient is undergoing a critical, and even life-threatening physiological event, whether or not caused by the implant itself. For example, the patient may conceivably be unconscious and without identification materials. Situations may also arise where full authentication, according to aspects of the invention as described above, is not feasible due to excessive inconvenience where authentication according to the protocols above is prohibitive or infeasible. For example, a patient may have traveled a great distance to a physician appointment, but upon arrival, found that he or she has forgotten or mislaid his or her smartcard, or other materials necessary to permit an in-vitro node to communicate with the implant, or the patient may have forgotten his or her authenticating password. In these situations, a “backdoor,” i.e. a method of interfacing with an IMD BAN node (but, in representative embodiments, without any way to derive the node's secret device key K_dev), may permit legitimate access to the node in a manner that circumvents, on a limited basis, the security protocols of a system according to the invention; thus avoiding the inconvenience of rescheduling a patient's appointment, or in true emergency situations, enabling critical care to a patient.

In one embodiment of the invention, a convenient backdoor mechanism may be provided that would operate wirelessly, for example, over some distance, for example, as a wireless protocol. In certain embodiments of the instant invention, however, the backdoor would not be wireless, and equipment able to open the backdoor may be widely available (and accordingly, would be easy for an attacker to acquire). Accordingly, the backdoor in certain embodiments would not be implemented in a manner such that the security of all node devices sharing the key would be irrevocably compromised upon the acquisition of a node device by an attacker who is motivated for whatever reason to compromise the relative secrecy of the backdoor key. Therefore, in certain embodiments of the present invention in which a wireless backdoor is implemented, preferably only a limited amount of functionality of the entire implant or node (e.g., Alice <b>115</b>) is operable upon communication of the backdoor key. For example, in certain implementations in which a wireless backdoor is available, wireless backdoors may be used solely to put implants in their respective quiescent (i.e., “stand-by”) modes. More specifically, a pacemaker, for example, may go into a 60 bpm mode, while an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or neural stimulator or drug pump could be put into a therapy-suspension mode by means of the wireless backdoor.

Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 16</figref>, in certain embodiments of the instant invention, a “physical” backdoor <b>1610</b>, i.e., a method of access not using a wireless communications channel <b>120</b>, is provided. In these embodiments, access to the BAN node <b>115</b> without authentication is effected only by physical contact (or close proximity) between the device seeking backdoor access <b>110</b>, and the node to be accessed <b>115</b> and/or its patient (in the case of an implanted device). This may be implemented by the use of a near-field magnetic sensor, such as a Hall-effect sensor or magnetic reed switch, in certain BAN nodes <b>115</b>. Preferably, this sensor <b>1610</b> does not effect a communications channel per se, but rather is used solely to put the module in an open mode where equipment can communicate with the implant(s) or other node, without the authentication requirements called for by embodiments of the invention (as described above). Alternatively, the backdoor may initiate means of near-range telemetry such as magnetic telemetry, in which the proximity actually enables use of a communication channel.

Also in certain embodiments, once the emergency equipment <b>110</b> closes the communications session, the backdoor <b>1610</b> would close, i.e., the open communications channel would be closed down, and further communications to the device <b>115</b> would require the applicable authentication information, for example as provided herein, or alternately the establishment of another backdoor communications session. The effect of the use of this backdoor may be compared to the recessed reset button of a wireless network appliance, such as a wireless router. While the reset may allow aspects of the wireless router to be changed by a remote third party, the state is not provided without a physical action at the device. This physical access to the device is taken as a proxy for administrative authorization to administer changes to the device or node.

The backdoor may also be used as a preferred means of extracting K_BANfrom an IMD for the purposes of delivering that K_BANto other devices in the BAN. The backdoor may also be used to request that an IMD transmit an ephemeral K_BAN(a locally generated random number to be temporarily used as the K_BAN) which is only valid for the duration of that telemetry session. In implementations where backdoor access can result in the wireless transmission of K_BANor an ephemeral K_BAN, it may be the case that added credentials are required in order for the IDM to transmit the K_BAN, with respect to those credentials needed to recover an ephemeral K_BAN. Such credentials may include activation of a proximity switch for an extended period of time, e.g., 10 seconds, where recovery of an ephemeral K_BANmight be authorized on activation of the same proximity switch for only three seconds.

The backdoor <b>1610</b> to the IMD <b>115</b> may be embodied as follows: Initially, Alice <b>115</b> and Bob <b>110</b> open a communications session over insecure channel <b>120</b> by exchanging IDs (ID_A, ID_B) via messages <b>1615</b> and <b>1620</b>. Bob <b>110</b> then, via insecure channel <b>120</b>, asks Alice <b>115</b> to power-up her backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b>, that otherwise would be turned off and would not respond to any external event such as the proximity of a magnet, for example—when off, the backdoor may be said to be “locked.” Once the backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b> is on, thus “unlocking” the backdoor <b>1610</b>, Bob <b>110</b> may physically open Alice's backdoor by means such as a magnetic switch or Hall-effect sensor, as described above. Preferably, if the backdoor <b>1610</b> is not physically opened before a pre-defined time-out, Alice <b>115</b> will automatically power down her backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b>, relocking the backdoor <b>1610</b> to avoid attacks where proximity to the host patient is available to the attacker.

Following the opening of the backdoor <b>1610</b>, Alice <b>115</b> will reduce her RF transmission power (thereby reducing the effective transmission range of the signal) and then send Bob <b>110</b> K_BAN<b>1625</b> by via message <b>1630</b>, whereupon Alice <b>115</b> promptly powers down her backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b>. In representative embodiments, no request by Bob <b>110</b> for the BAN key is necessary, as the request for the BAN key is implicit in the initiation of the backdoor protocol.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 17</figref> depicts a pseudo-protocol and data flow for an emergency access protocol according to the embodiment of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 16</figref>. As indicated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 17</figref>, a bridge device <b>110</b> can obtain a BAN key by means of a backdoor session request <b>1710</b>. Following the backdoor session request <b>1710</b>, the two nodes establish an unsecured telemetry session at <b>215</b>. Bridge device <b>110</b> may then request <b>1715</b> that backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b> be powered up. In response, IMD <b>115</b> powers up its backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b> at <b>1720</b>, and at <b>1725</b> confirms to bridge device <b>110</b> that backdoor circuitry <b>1610</b> is powered up. Bridge device <b>110</b> may then activate the powered-up backdoor <b>1610</b> by means of proximity to the magnetic switch, Hall-effect sensor, or other proximity-based switch comprising the backdoor <b>1610</b>; indicated by <b>1730</b>.

Upon the opening <b>1730</b> of the backdoor <b>1610</b>, IMD <b>115</b> realizes that the backdoor has been opened by the proximate node <b>110</b> as indicated at <b>1735</b>, and subsequently transmits at <b>1625</b> the BAN key over the insecure telemetry channel <b>120</b>. In certain embodiments, bridge device <b>110</b> may transmit confirmation of the receipt of the BAN key at <b>1730</b>, however in typical embodiments the IMD <b>115</b> promptly powers down backdoor <b>1610</b> upon sending of the BAN key, and another request <b>1715</b> for the opening of the backdoor will be required.

There are a variety of situations where it is advantageous for a given device or node within the BAN to transmit data to another node without initiating a fully secure telemetry session according to the above security parameters. For example, the BAN may include one or more nodes that are transmit-only type sensors that are unable to establish a secure two-way link. Other devices, such as a patient activator, could transmit data that could be acted upon immediately. The transmitted data that could be acted upon immediately may be referred to as “actionable data.” Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide for securing a transmittable wake-up message, such as a wake-up packet that includes actionable data and for providing a limited amount of secure subsequent communications. In this context, the fully secure protocol will be referred to as establishing general security and the less onerous protocol will be referred to as wake-up security or the like.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 18</figref> is a diagram depicting in block form a secured wake-up packet <b>2000</b> as generated by an authorized device (e.g., Alice <b>115</b>) within the BAN. The wake-up packet <b>2000</b> may also include other data not illustrated, such as an ID of Alice <b>115</b>, an ID of the node that is to receive the packet, among other things. In short, Alice <b>115</b> may compose a transmittable the wake-up packet <b>2000</b> that includes 4 bytes of unencrypted data <b>2010</b>, a 3 byte MAC <b>2020</b>, and a 3 byte MCTR <b>2030</b>. The 4 bytes of unencrypted data may comprise a predetermined amount of actionable data. The MCTR is a 3 byte message counter value associated with a specific device that is stored within each device in the BAN and incremented each time that specific device authors a new secure wake up packet. Each device within the BAN maintains a value of MCTR in always on memory for every device within the network. If a new device is added to the BAN then all values of MCTR are reset. The MCTR value is not encrypted in the wake-up packet <b>2000</b>. In addition to maintaining a MCTR value, each device in the BAN includes a receptor bitmap which is a one byte value used to identify each device as intended recipient(s).

The generation of the MAC <b>2020</b> along with the tracking of the value for MCTR provides security to the protocol. Upon receipt, an authorized receiving device (e.g., Bob <b>110</b>) evaluates the MCTR value <b>2030</b>. If inappropriate, the message is ignored. If appropriate, the MAC is then decoded. If authenticated, the data <b>2010</b> is utilized; if not, the data is ignored. In one embodiment, no further exchanges other than ACK/NACK messages are permitted. In another embodiment, once the wake-up packet is authenticated, each node is permitted to transmit a limited amount of data (e.g., one frame) without requiring the initiation of general security.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 19</figref> depicts the generation of the MAC <b>2020</b> by executing the AES block cipher <b>2090</b> (and as previously shown and described). The “nonce” register of the AES block cipher <b>2090</b> is loaded with a data set <b>2045</b>. The data set <b>2045</b> includes the sender's ID (ID_sender) as the most significant 6 bytes; the sender's current MCTR value (MCTR_sender) as the next three bytes; the next 4 bytes are the data to be transmitted and the last byte is the receptor bitmap indicating the intended recipient(s). The BAN key <b>2100</b> is also input into the AES block cipher <b>2090</b>. From the resultant output <b>2110</b> of the AES block cipher <b>2090</b>, the least significant three 3 bytes of data are designated as the MAC <b>2020</b>.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 20</figref> is a flowchart of a process for generating and sending a secure wake-up packet. In this example, “Alice” <b>115</b> intends to communicate a data packet to “Bob” <b>110</b>. Alice <b>115</b> generates or acquires 4 bytes of actionable data <b>2200</b> (e.g., Alice's sensor data; a command of a patient activator, etc.). Alice <b>115</b> reads <b>2210</b> the current value of MCTR from memory and populates <b>2220</b> the AES block cipher <b>2090</b> as described with respect to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 19</figref>. The MAC is obtained and Alice <b>115</b> composes <b>2240</b> the wakeup packet <b>2000</b> that includes the 4 bytes of actionable data; the MAC; and the MCTR value. Preferably each device within the BAN has designated permissible transmission times. Alice <b>115</b> transmits <b>2250</b> the composed message during an appropriate time window. As a new secure wake-up message has been composed, Alice <b>115</b> increments the MCTR <b>2260</b>.

Assuming the message is properly received, Alice <b>115</b> may receive <b>2270</b> an ACK message from the recipient. If an ACK message is expected and not received or if other errors occur, Alice <b>115</b> may retransmit the same message (<b>2250</b>) without generating a new MAC and without incrementing the MCTR. When the ACK is received by Alice <b>115</b> a native mode session is established <b>2280</b>. In one embodiment, this simply means that the session is terminated <b>2290</b> in that Alice has successfully transmitted the data and received (if appropriate) an ACK message. In an alternative configuration, establishing <b>2280</b> a native mode session permits each device in the BAN engaged in the session to transmit a limited amount of data, e.g., one frame. Thus, as indicated in dashed lines Alice <b>115</b> transmits <b>2300</b> an additional frame data. Each device in the native session is permitted to transmit, thus Alice <b>115</b> may receive <b>2310</b> a frame of data from another device in the BAN. ACK/NACK messages are permitted <b>2320</b> and the session is then terminated. Each node engaged in the native mode session may be permitted to send a single data packet, each node may send an ACK/NACK message, and the native mode session may be terminated without permitting any additional data exchange. The receipt of a single additional data transmission from each node may be allowed in the native telemetry mode, the transmission of a single data transmission from a node may be permitted, and ACK/NACK message may be sent and received prior to termination of the native telemetery mode.

In this manner, the wake-up packet is secured and a small amount of actionable data is transmittable without establishing general security. If there is a need to transmit larger amounts of data, then the general security protocol is implemented as previously described.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 21</figref> is a flowchart of a process that a receiving node, e.g., Bob <b>110</b>, employs upon receipt of potential secured wake-up message. Bob <b>110</b> receives <b>2400</b> the message and identifies <b>2410</b> the sender. This may occur based upon the network timeslot allocated for transmission to e.g., Alice <b>115</b>, or based upon other identification means. In any event, Bob <b>110</b> identifies that it is Alice <b>115</b> purportedly sending the message and that Bob <b>110</b> is an intended recipient. Bob <b>110</b> extracts <b>2420</b> the MCTR value from the transmitted message and compares <b>2430</b> to an MCTR value Bob <b>110</b> has stored for Alice <b>115</b> in memory. If at step <b>2440</b>, the received MCTR value is smaller than the value Bob <b>110</b> has stored for Alice, the message is ignored <b>2450</b>. If the MCTR value is greater than the stored value, Bob <b>110</b> will temporarily assume <b>2460</b> that the received MCTR is correct and proceed utilizing the received value. Similarly, if the received MCTR value is equal to the stored value, Bob <b>110</b> proceeds to the next step.

In either case, the received MCTR is utilized to calculate a MAC in the same manner as Alice <b>115</b> with the AES block cipher <b>2090</b>. The MAC value calculated by Bob <b>110</b> is compared <b>2480</b> to the MAC value received by Bob <b>110</b>. If the MAC values do not match, the message is ignored <b>2490</b>. If the MAC values do match, then Bob <b>110</b> enters a native mode <b>2500</b> and accepts <b>2510</b> the data accordingly. Bob <b>110</b> updates <b>2515</b> the MCTR value related to Alice <b>115</b>. This will effectively result in an incremental value added of the MCTR value transmitted by Alice <b>115</b>. Optionally, Bob <b>110</b> may secure and transmit <b>2520</b> an ACK/NACK message. The session is then terminated <b>2530</b>.

In an alternative embodiment, each node that entered the native mode <b>2500</b> is able to transmit an additional frame of data. Thus, Bob <b>110</b> may transmit <b>2540</b> to Alice <b>115</b> an additional amount of data and likewise Alice <b>115</b> may transmit <b>2550</b> an additional frame of data <b>2550</b>. The session key is defined by a portion of the MAC output in order to assure inter-session freshness. Each node is permitted to send appropriate ACK/NACK messages <b>2520</b> and the session is then terminated <b>2530</b>. The packets and frames are secured as previously described with respect to general security, with the exception that the AES_out <b>2110</b>, BAN key <b>2100</b> is utilized instead of K_sesand the least significant three bytes of the nonce counter are initiated with the MCTR value, the next most significant two bytes utilize the least significant two bytes of the MCTR value and the most significant byte is initiated with zeros.

Data privacy (encryption) can optionally be applied to the four bytes of user data before transmission. Encryption, and subsequent decryption, can be realized by XORing the four user bytes with a four byte keystream ((just as is done for native-mode communications). The four byte keystream could come from unused bytes of <b>2110</b>, or they could come from another execution of the block cipher using a different nonce value known to both Alice and Bob.

Various embodiments of the invention have been described and are intended to be exemplary and not limiting. Portions of the subject matter disclosed may be combined in embodiment not explicitly set forth while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.